What to Do About Dead Bell Pepper Plants? Causes and Control Methods
When growing bell peppers, preventing dead plants has become a key focus of greenhouse management, especially since in recent years the problem of dead bell pepper plants has become increasingly serious, which is extremely detrimental to the development of the bell pepper industry. So what causes dead bell pepper plants? Let's take a look together.
I. Causes of Dead Plants
1. Increase in soil pathogens
The main causes of dead bell pepper plants are Phytophthora root rot, root rot, Fusarium wilt, stem base rot, and others. Continuous cropping causes pathogens in the soil to increase continuously, so after transplanting, the seedlings become infected by pathogens and develop disease.
2. Incomplete decomposition of farmyard manure
When chicken manure is used as farmyard manure, if it is applied without being fully decomposed, it can cause root tip damage and lead to pathogen infection of the root system. At this point, if the wilted bell pepper seedlings are pulled up, very few roots will be found, no new roots are produced, and the fine roots are brown.
3. Flood irrigation
Many farmers believe that yield depends on fertilizer rather than water, so they have always continued the traditional cultivation method of flood irrigation. The root system of bell peppers is not well developed and prefers moisture while fearing waterlogging. When roots grow in standing water for more than 24 hours, they become deprived of oxygen and die, so root suffocation in bell peppers often occurs after flood irrigation. In addition, if the difference between the water temperature and the soil temperature is too large, avoid root damage caused by drastic soil temperature changes during watering. Also, when watering, pay attention that pathogens can spread with the water; sometimes diseased plants can also easily cause large-scale disease outbreaks in the greenhouse.
II. Control Methods
1. Deep plowing of the soil
First, before transplanting, plow the soil deeply to 25-30 cm, then according to the soil's fertilizer requirements, rationally apply decomposed organic fertilizer to increase the soil's organic matter content, improve permeability, and provide a suitable environment for root growth. In addition, promptly disinfect the greenhouse soil, which can reduce the base number of pathogens in the soil and lower the probability of disease occurrence.
2. Applying bacterial fertilizer in the planting holes
Particular attention should be paid to soil treatment in the planting holes. Bacterial fertilizer can be applied in the planting holes, which can supplement the number of beneficial bacteria in the soil, and the active substances produced during their growth have a clear inhibitory effect on pathogenic bacteria. These active substances can also produce metabolites that stimulate root growth. This not only promotes rooting but also strengthens the disease resistance of the plants.
3. Preventive medication
After transplanting, you can use root application or drenching with Jikangjun 968 seedling-stage drenching fertilizer. This is the key period for control. At this time, the stems are thin and weak, and pathogens can easily infect them. Depending on the different conditions in the greenhouse, you can spray the stems first and then drench the roots with the agent.
4. Medication treatment
When diseased plants are found, all plants in the greenhouse can be root-drenched with medication for early prevention. For severe cases, promptly pull them out and take them out of the field, treat the diseased holes, and then replant seedlings.
The above is an introduction to the causes of dead bell pepper plants and control methods. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please keep following us.